Advertising novelty



p 1934- T. A. GOERSCIZHLER ETYAL. 1,974,673

ADVERTI S ING NOVELTY Filed Oct. 30, 1933 Patented Sept. 25, 1934 ADVERTISING NOVELT! V Theodore A. Goerschlcr and Murrin E. :Martin dale, Chicago, IlL, assignors, .bymesne assignmentato Goerschler & Company, (not Inc.), Chicago, Ill., a partnership composed of Theodore A. Goerschler, Catherine A. Smith, and Christian M. Maiberger Application October so, 1933, Serial No. 695,742

6 Claims. (01. 40-126) The present invention relates generally to advertisingnovelties and similar devices involving, generally, folded cardboard or paper sections and so constructed and arranged as to attract the attention of the observer in a novel and interest stimulating manner.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is the provision of an advertising novelty incorporating folded sections which, when opened, automaticallyand-suddenly brings into the view of the observer an object, printed legend, or pictorial representation, or some other similar material which was formerly concealed.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of folded secti'onsso constructed and arranged that a portion of one section is adapted to be conce'aledfrom view by a portion of the other section, or by .a portion carried by the other section, the sections and the portions being so constructed and arranged that when the sections are opened the portion, or portions, concealed from view when the sections are closed are exposed to the view of the observer in an interesting and attractive manner. Another object of the presentinvention, in this connection, is the provision of such sections and portions so arranged thatthey may, as a whole, be incorporated in what appears to be a single picture or otherrepresentation but which, when the sections are opened, changes its character, or is otherwise modified to attract the attention of the observer and retain his interest or convey information to him, or both. i

A further object ofthepresent invention, having to do with the concealment of legends, pictures and the like, or portions thereof, when the sections of the device arefolded and the release of the same to view when the sectionsare ex tended, is the utilization of actual objects adapted to be concealed when the sections are folded togetherandto be released when the sections are unfolded, the useof such objects being'either in conjunction with pictorial or descriptive matter, or"'entire1y independent thereof. Particularly, the present invention contemplates the 3 use of suchpbjectsas a strip of material foldedwith accordion folds in bellows-like configuration and adapted to "be retained'in biased condition when the sections are folded and released so as to spring suddenly into view when the observerunfolds'the sections. Thecharacter, form, and/or material of-such objectmay' be varied asdesired, or may -b'e correlated with other printed A matter on or objects-carried by the device.

i These and other objects and advantages or the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the artafter consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. i

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a face view of a construction embodying the principles of the presentinvention; Figure 2 is a view of the construction shown in Figure 1, but with the sections opened with the means carried by one of the sections, which means'is concealed when thesections are folded together, as shown in Figure 1, released to view;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken approximately along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are views, similar to Figures 1 and' 2, of a modified form of the invention; and

formation to be presented. For example, Figure",

1 illustrates a construction embodying a printed representation of a boy 10 in theact of operating a camera 11. In this construction, the front face of the camera 11 is printed or drawn on a flap 12 which is carried by the back section 5. The front section 4 is providedwith an opening'le adjacent the figure 10, and this opening is di mensioned to receive the flap 12 so that when the sections are folded together the flap overlies a portion of the facet of the-front section 4 adjacent the opening. Preferably, although not necessarily, the printing or other representation on the front section Land on the front face of thefia'p 12 is so arranged that when the sections L are folded together the flap 12 is disposed in such a position that it becomes a part of the figure 1001' other picture, or legend carriedby the front section i The flap112 is preferably formed-as best shown a numerallfi, serving as a hinge or foldfl line con necting the flap 12 with the back sectionfi; The fold line 16 is disposed insubstantial registrywith the opening 15- when the sections 4 ande are foldedtogether, as indicated'in Figure 3.

Adjacent the opening 15 in the front section 4 there is attached an object 20 in the form of a folded strip of material. The object 20 is preferably folded into accordion or bellows-like configuration so as to occupy a relatively small space, and one endof the strip 20 is glued or otherwise secured to the front section 4 adjacent the opening 15. When the sections are folded together the flap 12 overlies the strip 20 and serves to hold the same fiat against the front face of the section 4 and in concealed position behind the flap 20, which, as mentioned above, is intended to simulate the front of and form a part of the camera 11 represented on the front face of the section 4.

If desired, some form of latch means may be provided for holding the flap 12 in position so as to insure that the object 20 will not be inadvertently projected in view of the observer until at the desired moment. To this end, the front section 4 carries a tab or tongue 23 which engages over the free edge of the flap, as best shown in Figure 3, and serves to hold the latter and the object 20 in position with the latter concealed behind the fiap 12 and out of view of the observer. Preferably, although not necessarily, the tab 23 is formed integral with the front section 4, as by cutting the tab from the same stock in a manner similar to the formation of the flap 12. Obviously, of course, the tab 23 may be formed sepa rately and secured to the section 4 in any manner desired, as by stapling, gluing and the like.

When the observer receives the device, it appears as is shown in Figures 1 and 3, and the first thing which the observer does is to attempt to open the sections 4 and 5. Immediately this is attempted, the initial separation of these sections 4 and 5 pulls the fiap 12 out of engagement with the tab 23, with the result that the strip of material 20 is suddenly projected into the view of the observer, and the continued opening of the sections 4 and 5 pulls the flap 12 entirely out of the opening 15. All of this occurs in substantially one operation so that, where, at one moment, the operator is viewing the figure and the closed fiap 12 as they appear in Figure 1, the next moment his attention is attracted and held by the sudden disappearance of the front of the camera and sudden appearance of the strip of material 20. This more or less startling change in the char acter of the picture presented on the front of the section 4 is one which, in a novel manner, secures the attention of the observer and is attractive in that movement seems to be imparted to the figure.

The principles of the invention as embodied in the construction described above are capable of varied modifications. Not only may the strip of material 20 carry various pictures or legends, but also the strip 20 is representative of any object, or objects, which may be attached to or carried by the section 4. For example, such object may have definite relation with respect to the picture or other representation carried on a front face of the section 4, or, if desired, it may have no relation thereto except that in its operation in a sudden and startling manner it serves to attract the observers attention. Furthermore, it is not necessary that the object 20, carried by the section 4, be so formed as to be latched in biased position by the fiap- 12 so that when the sections are separated the object projects itself bodily from the plane of the section. If desired, the object or objects carried by the section 4 may be stationary and may or may not have any relation with the picture or other representation on the remaining portions of the section 4. Preferably, however, some correlation is present, such as, for example, may be found where the fiap 12 is in the form of a lid fora container pictured on the section 4 in such way that, with the opening of the sections 4 and 5, the lid opens to disclose what appears to be objects or articles disposed within the container pictured on the front face of the section 4. Such objects, for example, may be cigarettes, candy, and others of similar or different nature. If desired, instead of objects, either actual, in miniature, or pictured, suitable reading matter such as legends and the like may be caused to be suddenly exposed to the view of the observer upon the opening of the sections 4 and 5.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate a modified form embodying the principles of the present invention, and is a construction suitable for many different purposes, both advertising and nonadvertising. According to the form of the invention shown in these figures, a device may be constructed in the form of a Christmas card having a suitable pictorial representation 30 carried on the front face 8 of the section 4. The pictorial representation in this case consists of a figure representing Santa Claus adjacent a pyramidal pile of blocks 31. The front section 4 is out along a line 32 defining one edge of the pile of blocks 31 and also along the upper and lower edges 33 and 34 of one side of the pile.

The other section 5 is formed with a fiap 37 which is adapted to be inserted through the opening defined by the slits 32, 33 and 34, and the flap is provided with a pictorial representation, or a portion of such a representation, of a pile of blocks 38 which is arranged to be dis:

posed in interchangeable relation overlying the pile of blocks 31. The portion of the pile of blocks 31 which is concealed when'the flap is overlying the faceof the front section 4 carries, as shown in Figure 5, the words From me to you pictured as beingdisposed on the faces of the blocks 31 adjacent the faces thereof which carry the Word Merry. The blocks pictured on the fiap 37 carry the word Xmas, as best shown in Figures 4 and 6.

When the sections 4 and 5 are folded together with the fiap 37in position, as shown in Figure 4, the appearance is that of a single card bearing the words Merry Xmas, but when the sections are unfolded the additional words From me to you appear. It is important to note that the pictured representation of the pile of blocks appears to be the same when the sections are unfolded as when they are folded together, as will be apparent by comparing Figure 4 with Figure 5. There is thus a certaincorrelation between T.

the representation on the flap and the position thereof with respect, to the representation on the face of the section 4 and its position, so that the pictorial representation, as a whole, is intelligible, both when the sections are folded and when they are unfolded. Yet, by virtue of the interchangeable character of the flap and its relation to the front section 4, a dual character is given to the device. Such a dual character is, as described above, useful in providing novel and attractive Christmas cards and the like, but this feature is also useful .in providing greeting cards of the combination character, such as a combined Christmas and New Year card. Obviously, also, this phase of the present invention is not to be limited to greeting cards, but is applicable to all forms of advertising and similar matter.

While we have described above the constructions in which the principles of the present invention have preferably been embodied, it will be apparent that our invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described above, butthat, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of our'invention. v

What we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a sheet including two hingedly connected sections, one of said sections having an opening therein, means carried by said one section adjacent said opening, and means carried by the other section and arranged to be disposed through said opening and to overlie said first means on said one section when said sections are folded, the act of opening of said sections serving to withdraw said second means through said opening to expose said first means.

2. A device of the class described comprising a sheet including two hingedly connected sections, one of said sections having an opening therein, an object carried by said one section adjacent said opening therein, a third section carried by the other hingedly connected section and. arranged to be disposed through said opening and to overlie said object and conceal the same when the hingedly connected sections are folded together, said third section being disposed relative to the hinged connection between the first sections so that the act of opening said hingedly connected sections serves to withdraw the third section through the opening and expose said object to view.

3. A device of the class described comprising a sheet including two hingedly connected sections, one of said sections having an opening therein, a fiap carried by the other section and arranged to be disposed through said opening and to overlie a portion of said one section adjacent said opening when the sections are folded together, and means carried by said one section and cooperating with said flap when the sections are folded together to retain the fiap in position concealing said portion adjacent the opening from view, the act of opening said sections serving to withdraw the flap from said retaining means and to suddenly expose said portion to view.

4. A device of the class described comprising two movably connected sections, one of said sections having an opening therein, a flap carried by the other section and arranged to be disposed through said opening and to l'iealongside said one section adjacent the opening, an object carried by said one section adjacent the opening and arranged in biased position thereon, said flap serving to overlie said biased object and to retain the same against said one section, and means for releasably retaining said flap in position, the act of opening said sections serving to withdraw the flap from said holding means so as to expose said biased object to view and to release the same.

5. A device of the class described comprising two movably connected sections, one of said sections having an opening therein, an object consisting of a strip of material folded together in bellows-like configuration and attached to and adapted to lie fiat against said one section adjacent the opening therein, a flap carried by the other section and adapted to be disposed in the opening in said one section and to overlie said object and retain the same in flat folded relation, and a tab carried by said one section and adapted to engage the flap of the other section when said flap overlies said object, the act of opening said sections serving to withdraw said flap through said opening and from said object and from said tab so as to release the object and suddenly allow the same to spring into view.

6. A device of the class described comprising two movably connected sections, one of said sections having an opening therein, there being a pictorial representation on the face of said one section and said opening being formed in correlation therewith, and a flap carried by the other section and arranged to be disposed through said opening and to lie alongside said one section adjacent the opening, said flap being provided with means serving as a portion of a pictorial representation to interchangeably cooperate with the portion of the pictorial representation on said one section adjacent said opening, the act of opening said sections serving to withdraw said flap from said opening and to expose the portion of said first pictorial representation which was concealed by the flap when the sections were closed.

THEODORE A. GOERSCHLER. MURRIN E. MARTINDALE. 

